


The Spark that Never Died

by RandomMeanie



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: A bit of Jeongcheol, A bit of Markjin at the end, Angst with a Happy Ending, Childhood Friends, Childhood Love, Cross-Posted on AFF, Flashbacks, Jeonghan, Jeonghan is mentioned but doesn't appear, Love, M/M, Park Jinyoung - Freeform, Past Relationship(s), Romance, Someone up and left and it ain't Wonwoo, Wonwoo - Freeform, break-up, heartbroken, meanie, mingyu - Freeform, seungcheol - Freeform, slight angst, they meet again in the future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-26 20:02:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12065997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RandomMeanie/pseuds/RandomMeanie
Summary: As Wonwoo's experiences went, those who had been the topic of his conversations had a high probability of bumping into him.A story on childhood love, break-up, and that not all relationships are meant to be.





	1. The beginning and the end

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! So this is my first time posting on AO3 as I'm used to posting my Meanie fics on AFF. But I've always read fics from here as well, and since this is my first officially completed fic (actually there's another one but I've been uploading bonus chapters so I'm not sure if that counts as completed????), I decided to cross-post it to here. 
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to read! 
> 
> (I love Meanie so much it hurts lmao.)
> 
> There's a Vietnamese-translated version of this by Ann if you're interested in it! https://goo.gl/R5L5gB

One time, when Wonwoo was reminiscing about his friend who had left for the states, he had suddenly bumped into said person while walking down the street the next day. Both parties were elated. 

Another time, he was only at a relative's house when he met his middle school teacher who was coincidentally the topic of his conversation with a cousin. Who would've thought they'd meet right there? 

On a rainy day in his small bookstore he owned, he was with his good friend Seungcheol, talking about everything, anything, and anyone that could have been an interesting gossip. 

As his experiences went, those who've been a topic of Wonwoo's discussion had a chance of bumping into him. 

*

The thunder roared angrily outside amidst the loud pattering of the raindrops that were the size of marbles. The stormy skies created a gloomy atmosphere even at 12 in the afternoon. 

Huddled in the corner section of the bookstore were Choi Seungcheol and Jeon Wonwoo, two good friends who had met each other through Seungcheol's regular visit to the store. They each sat on comfy bean bags with their legs tucked underneath their bottoms as they held a cup of hot chocolate. 

Being the owner of the bookstore, Wonwoo decided it wouldn't hurt to close the shop for a while. Besides, he didn't think anyone would have come at a time like that. 

They both laughed as Seungcheol finished telling his story of the time when his current boyfriend, Jeonghan, had hidden in the closet when the former's mother, unaware of her son's relationship, had shown up at his apartment unexpectedly. Jeonghan, being the mischievous person he was, covered himself underneath heaps of clothing and decided it would be a good idea to knock on the base of the closet repeatedly. 

Seungcheol's mother had always been superstitious. Upon seeing the antique-looking closet in her son's room followed by hearing the knocking sounds which Seungcheol denied he heard, she had assumed that there was an "unwelcome presence" in the house. 

All in all, she had taken further measures and had gotten a priest to bless the house. 

"Now that my house is blessed, Jeonghan and I would always feel slightly guilty for everything that has happened in it," Seungcheol chuckled. "That doesn't stop us from continuing, though."

Wonwoo scrunched his nose, lightly punching his friend's shoulder. "You two are gross. Cute, but gross."

A soft expression crossed Seungcheol's features. "Yeah, well, I love him... Like, a lot. I think he's definitely the one. This relationship is the longest I've ever been in ever since we started dating in freshman year in college. And that's eight years ago."

Wonwoo took a sip of his hot chocolate as he allowed the silence to take over, amplifying the sounds of the rain hitting the glass window of the bookstore. 

Seungcheol slurped his drink noisily before asking, "How long was your longest relationship?"

Without thinking, as if the answer had been ingrained in his mind, he replied, "Seven years. We had known each other for fifteen years but we dated for seven of them." 

The other whistled, a thoughtful expression on his face. "We both met two years ago, so that means your relationship ended before that, because I sure as hell didn't know about this. And when did your relationship ended?"

Wonwoo thought he was over this, yet he still felt an ache in his heart just recalling the moment. "Right before first year of college," he replied, almost emotionlessly. 

Seungcheol did a double take. "Wait, you mean to say that your relationship lasted 7 years until first year of college. That means you both were, what, 12?"

Wonwoo smiled wryly. "Nice calculation right there, genius." He leaned back on his bean bag, setting his mug down carefully on the coffee table. "We've been extremely close since the day we we wore the same Spiderman shoes in kindergarten. We were sure nothing would go wrong."

"Man, that means you both had memories all the way back in kindergarten, huh? Must be cool."

*

_Wonwoo stood rooted to the ground, refusing to move an inch towards the building that was painted a beautiful bright shade of yellow. His eyes fleeted across everyone entering, before he looked back up towards his mother who had an impatient look on her face._

_"Wonwoo, I don't have time for this. I'm late for work. Go in there and make friends, okay?" She spoke strictly. Wonwoo shook his head defiantly. "Okay. How about this— I walk you to your class but you have to promise you'd go in on your own, okay?"_

_Reluctantly, the small boy nodded, and his mother proceeded to walk him to his classroom. There were some other parents who had done the same and were watching their kids with a smile._

_As promised, Wonwoo took a step in the classroom himself. He turned to wave at his mother with a grin, happy that he kept his part of the deal. However, his heart sunk when the image of his mother's back as she left without another word greeted him instead._

_He spun back around, head hanging. The voice of the teacher talking caught his attention, and he looked up towards a kind-looking young woman who had the biggest smile on her face._

_"Okay, children. I need all of you to take your shoes off and arrange them neatly on the shoe rack. Can you do that?"_

_Some children nodded their heads eagerly, taking their shoes off themselves diligently. Others had went back to their parents for help._

_Wonwoo sat on the floor, staring at his shoes that had Spiderman on them. They were a gift from his father before he had to part ways with him the day before. His mother had helped him put them on the first time that morning, albeit half-heartedly._

_He reached his small hands out towards the two straps keeping the shoe together, pulling them off one by one. Just as he thought he had actually managed to take his shoe off, he struggled to do so. The opening of the shoe was somehow still tight. He frowned, continuing to attempt squeezing his feet out. Soon, his eyes started to gloss over._

_"Wow, we have the same Spiderman shoes!" A high-pitched voice cried excitedly in front of Wonwoo._

_Wonwoo didn't look up, his tear-filled eyes focused on his shoe. Right then, a boy's face popped up in his line of vision. The boy had big round eyes that stared at him in wonder._

_"Are you crying?" The boy asked. Wonwoo shook his head vehemently. The other then turned to look at Wonwoo's feet. "Can you open them yourself?"_

_Wonwoo shook his head again, timidly this time. "I can't squeeze my foot out," he explained quietly._

_A grin appeared on the boy's face. "Let me help you! I opened mine myself," he said proudly._

_The boy then carefully studied Wonwoo's shoe, before taking the straps and making them loose through the hoops on the shoe. Using his small fingers to widen the opening of the shoe, he guided Wonwoo's foot out successfully. Wonwoo simply watched on, sniffling every now and then._

_After the boy had managed to take off Wonwoo's shoes, he helped him up._

_"Don't cry," he said kindly, wiping a stray tear off Wonwoo's smooth cheeks. "Here, you can put your shoes with mine."_

_Grabbing Wonwoo's hand, he walked over to the shoe rack, where another similar pair of Spiderman shoes laid at the top. The boy then placed Wonwoo's shoes next to his._

_"These are mine," he pointed to his shoes before pointing to Wonwoo's, "and these are yours. We have the same shoes!" He giggled excitedly._

_A small smile appeared on Wonwoo's face._

_The both walked hand in hand into the classroom, where they took a seat on the small chairs surrounding a round table._

_"What's your name?" The boy asked as he rested his elbows on the table and cupped his cheeks. He stared at Wonwoo with eyes wide in genuine curiosity._

_"Jeon Wonwoo," said boy replied._

_The boy reached out a hand with a smile that seemed to have been etched onto the small face._

_"Hello, Wonwoo, let's be friends. My name's Kim Mingyu."_

* 

Wonwoo smiled slightly. "Yeah, I guess," he replied. 

Seungcheol leaned forward. "There's something I'm extremely curious about. You both had been close since you were four. How did you guys even came to be together?"

"Like you've smartly calculated, we were both 12. We were at the age when we desperately wanted to be the cool kids and have a girlfriend or boyfriend. It all started as a harmless infatuation, but we both slowly realised it wasn't just that."

*

_"Have you heard? Yeonjoo and Jinyoung are together now. Ah, I'm so jealous."_

_"I know right? I want a boyfriend too."_

_Wonwoo snickered, shaking his head. "Look at those desperate girls wanting a boyfriend," he whispered towards Mingyu._

_Mingyu turned towards the group of girls, before looking back at Wonwoo. "Let them be desperate. Even if they get boyfriends, they won't last anyway. We're still young."_

_Wonwoo nodded. "True. But it's hilarious to see some girls this way."_

_"Yah, Jeon Wonwoo. I can hear you clearly, you know," one of the girls called out._

_The two friends started laughing._

_"Both of you might as well date each other. You guys are practically boyfriends, joined at the hip."_

_Mingyu rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."_

_That day, after school, the two were lounging in Wonwoo's living room, a comic book each in their hands. Mingyu had his head on the other's lap as they both read their respective books. They were merely doing what they had been doing for years, but it was at that moment something had changed between them._

_Wonwoo's eyes moved across the words and pictures, yet nothing seemed to register in his head. The words of his classmates earlier still rang through his mind. Him and Mingyu, dating? That's funny._

_He peeked below his book and silently observed his friend who's eyebrows scrunched in concentration. If only he was that focused in studying._

_He studied Mingyu's features, from his beautiful big eyes, defined nose, shapely lips, and naturally-tanned skin. His friend was truly a work of art._

_It was at this moment, Wonwoo's infatuation for Mingyu started._

_"Wonwoo, if you're gonna continue staring at me intensely like that I might gonna have to kiss you," Mingyu invaded his thoughts as he spoke jokingly._

_Wonwoo didn't respond, seemingly focused on his thoughts. How would it feel to kiss someone? He thought._

_Mingyu put down his book. "Yah, you're starting to creep me out with your st—"_

_He didn't get to finish his sentence before the unthinkable thing happened._

_Wonwoo had kissed him on the lips._

_Shocked, Mingyu's eyes widened before he rolled off the couch they were on and landed on the floor with a thud._

_"Dude, what the hell? I wasn't serious, you know," he asked incredulously._

_It then dawned on Wonwoo what he had just done. Cupping his mouth, he let out a scream._

_"What the hell did I do?! Oh gosh what was I thinking?"_

_"That's what I like to know!"_

_"I don't know why! I think I was curious and you looked really good so it just happened!"_

_Silence._

_Wonwoo watched, face red, as Mingyu looked down at his outfit which simply consisted of an old white shirt and sweatpants._

_"I looked good, you say?" His friend asked with raised eyebrows._

_"Bro."_

_Mingyu nodded. "Yeah, bro. You just made everything awkward."_

_The next day in class, the two were having their lunches in class, and were simply talking normally like nothing happened previously. Mingyu watched as Wonwoo babbled away about something he wasn't really paying attention to._

_Hm. He does have such pretty eyes. He thought. And his voice seems to get deeper as they grew older, which was strangely attractive._

_It was at this moment, Mingyu's infatuation for Wonwoo started._

_"Say, Wonwoo," Mingyu interrupted. "Should we try dating each other?"_

_Wonwoo choked on his next words. "What? Are you serious, dude?"_

_Mingyu shrugged like it was no big deal. "I mean, everyone seems to have a girlfriend and boyfriend these days, and even those girls told us we should just date."_

_"What happened to "we're still young"?" His friend questioned, at a lost of how he should be feeling._

_"Both of us have been friends since forever. If something isn't right, then we can just stop this and continue being friends, right?"_

_Wonwoo thought about it. Well, it wasn't as if they both had strong feelings for one another, right? The worst possible outcome would be that they'd be awkward for a month, but knowing how they were, they'd surely get over it._

_That afternoon, Wonwoo made a decision that changed his life._

_"Sure, why not?"_

*

Seungcheol burst out laughing. 

"Shut up, idiot. We were twelve, okay?"

His older friend calmed down, wiping a fake tear. "That was funny. "Sure, why not?" It's like, oh, do you want to date me? Well sure, whatever!" He started laughing again. 

"Very funny. I'm laughing too," Wonwoo deadpanned. 

"Sorry, man. Okay, I'll stop and let you continue. So how did exactly both of you became, like, real?"

*

_" 'Cuz when you're fifteen, somebody tells you they love you. You're gonna believe them. And when you're, fiftee—"_

_"Cut the music, Yeonjoo! It's too sappy for me," Mingyu shouted towards the girl._

_"Shut up, Mingyu. Jinyoung just told me he loved me and I'm fifteen and I feel like the luckiest girl—"_

_Mingyu blocked her out._

_It's been three years since Wonwoo and him dated "for fun", but it had been the same between them, only that they did things out of the friend boundary. It was weird for two boys to be going out, but since the both considered themselves to be just testing the waters, they didn't mind much._

_They did went on dates, which ended up with them playing in the arcade for hours. Even with all that happening, none of the boys seemed to cancel this dating thing they had agreed on._

_Maybe it was due to the time when the kisses started._

_After the night when Wonwoo tried kissing Mingyu, the two hadn't done it again. That was until a year ago when the two were playing video games in Wonwoo's room when they took a break, realised how close they were, and decided to just go for it._

_Realising how good it felt, they continued stealing kisses whenever they could._

_"Give her a break, Mingyu," Wonwoo chided playfully. "Jinyoung did tell her that he loves her, and it's Valentine's Day."_

_Mingyu waved it off, smiling cheekily before swooping in for a kiss on the lips. The other pushed him away, although a smile lingered on his lips._

_As it was Valentine's Day, many couples were more lovey-dovey towards each other, and secret messages and gifts appeared on tables._

_That day, as the two were walking back to class after lunch, they were stopped by a familiar-looking girl. Her eyes were wide as she stared straight at Mingyu, not paying any mind to Wonwoo._

_"Um, how can I help you, Sujeong?" Mingyu asked._

_Right, she's Sujeong from the other class._

_Her lips formed into a smile as she held out a box towards the confused boy._

_"Uh, it's Valentine's Day and I thought, uh, I'd give you these chocolates. I, uh, I made them from scratch!" Sujeong stuttered. And for the first time, her eyes fluttered towards Wonwoo before looking back at the other. "I know you have this whole thing going on with Wonwoo but since you're not serious, I thought it wouldn't, uh, matter that much..."_

_"Oh," Mingyu breathed, his eyes wide in shock. "Um, thanks I guess. And yeah," he looked at Wonwoo, "don't worry about it."_

_Wonwoo shrugged nonchalantly, though he felt an uncomfortable tug in his chest._

_"You've been silent this whole time," Mingyu spoke when the both were in Wonwoo's room after school, getting ready to play another round of video games. "Is something wrong?"_

_Wonwoo froze, before shaking his head. "Nothing's wrong," he replied, staring straight ahead instead of looking at Mingyu._

_Mingyu dropped his bag on the ground, striding towards the other and grabbing him by the shoulders. He leaned down so that their faces were only inches apart. Wonwoo gulped._

_"Okay, you're gonna have to tell me what's wrong,  because I've known you since we were younger and I know you're not okay," Mingyu insisted, his eyes showing concern._

_Before Wonwoo could stop himself, a tear escaped his eye, and he closed the gap between their lips. He hoped that through that kiss, the other could feel his newfound feelings he hadn't realised he was harbouring._

_Mingyu overcame his shock and moved his lips in sync to Wonwoo's, his arms circling the other's slim waist and pulling him even closer. Wonwoo's hand reached up to hold onto the taller's shoulder._

_When they pulled away, they rested their foreheads against each other's. Mingyu brought a hand up to wipe Wonwoo's tears._

_"That was, uh... Different. Something was different," Mingyu spoke softly._

_"Yeah," Wonwoo responded just as softly. "I realised something big today. When that girl gave you those chocolates, I... I didn't like it. So I've been thinking this whole day and I can only come up with one conclusion." He paused for a second. "I love you. I think I genuinely have feelings for you. And it feels so strong, like being in your arms like this just feels so right."_

_Mingyu was silent, staring into Wonwoo's eyes filled with emotion. He leaned in to press a soft kiss on the other's lips before pulling away. "I genuinely like you as well, Wonwoo. Although nothing much changes between us, like it's as if we're still friends, that's a good thing right? We don't need to change how we behave with one another just because we wanted to start dating."_

_"So... You feel the same way?" Wonwoo asked, still doubtful._

_The other nodded with a small smile. "For quite some time actually. I didn't know how you felt, so I didn't want to say anything. I mean, we did just started all this because we wanted to just try what it'd be like to be dating. I didn't expect for us to come this far."_

_"But here we are now," Wonwoo replied, a smile now playing on his lips._

_He felt as though his heart was going to burst with all the emotions running through him. Were they really about to do this, for real?_

_Mingyu pulled him in for a tight hug, and he rested his head on the taller's shoulders, feeling at peace and at home._

_" ' Cuz when you're fifteen, somebody tells you they love you, you're gonna believe them. And when you're fifteen, don't forget to look before you fall..."_

_*_

Seungcheol smiled. "That was really sweet." His smile faded. "But I guess it didn't last, huh?"

A bitter smile appeared on Wonwoo's face as he stared at the ground. He thought he was way over it, especially when it's been years. However, at that moment, he felt the same strong betrayal, sadness and bitterness he had felt that day before his first year of college. 

"It didn't..." He sighed. "And our long friendship didn't as well."

*

_Wonwoo stared at Mingyu, his eyes wavering as he questioned himself in his mind, "What is happening?"_

_"What..." He couldn't bring himself to ask._

_It felt as though someone was stabbing his heart over and over again that his body felt numb all the way to his fingertips. "What is going on? What is going on? What is going on?" His mind chanted continuously yet his mouth unable to voice it. His throat closed up and the only thing that he could feel coursing through his body was betrayal as his chest rose and fell at an alarming rate._

_Mingyu stared back into Wonwoo's eyes, unnerving and devoid of any emotions. Wonwoo couldn't tell what the other was feeling, if he really meant for this to happen, if he really considered all their years together as nothing._

_Wonwoo's eyes travelled from Mingyu's scarily emotionless face to his hand, where it held a hand of another girl._

_More specifically, Sujeong._

_"I'm sorry to have to do this, Wonwoo, but it had to be done. You two together was never meant to be serious anyways. My parents and Mingyu's have planned for us to go study in Japan together a long time ago and have us wed in a year," Sujeong explained, her long brown-dyed hair blowing annoyingly elegantly in the wind._

_'Why didn't you tell me?' Was what Wonwoo wanted to say._   _"Isn't this too cruel of you?" He managed to say in a shaky voice, eyeing the two big luggages sitting on the doorstep of Mingyu's house. "Did... Did all those years meant nothing? You couldn't have broken up with me and told me everything? You simply kept fucking quiet until the day you have to leave me?! Fuck, I wouldn't have known you were going to leave today if I hadn't dropped by!" Angry tears rolled down his cheeks by then as all his emotions came spewing out._

 _They were normal,_ he  _was normal the day before. They were both playing video games, cuddling and talking about their first semester of college together, kissing, whispering sweet nothings as they--_

_"Fuck you."_

_"Already done that."_

_The sound of Wonwoo slapping Mingyu across the face resounded in the air._

_"What do you think you're doing?!" Sujeong screamed._

_"I know your parents stopped liking me the moment we announced we were dating. But what about you? What_ happened  _to you, Mingyu?" Wonwoo asked sadly, shaking his head._

_For the first time since that moment, Wonwoo witnessed the slightest bit of emotion flash across Mingyu's features._

_"Fine, leave then. Leave, but I never want to see you again."_

_With that, Wonwoo turned around, never looking back as he walked away from his best friend and love of his life._

*

Wonwoo blinked rapidly, trying to calm his emotions down. He had to remind himself that that was years ago, that he had to move on for his own sake. He hadn't been able to commit to a relationship ever since then, too afraid to get hurt once again.

"Crap, dude. I didn't know it was this deep. I'm really sorry," Seungcheol apologised, patting him on the shoulder comfortingly. 

Wonwoo shook his head, giving an unconvincing smile. "It's been years. I'm over it. He wasn't the one for me. If he really had cared for me, he wouldn't have kept quiet and kept that as a secret for so long."

Seungcheol nodded. "On the bright side, look at yourself. You're twenty-six now and you own a bookstore that includes books that you've written as well. You should be proud of yourself with how successful you've turned out to be. I, for one, really am proud of you."

His friend laughed, genuinely this time. "You're right." He clapped then. "And I should be taking this free time to prepare my book signing for tomorrow. My readers are anticipating!" 

The both stood up as they started cleaning up the bookstore and setting up the table and poster for Wonwoo's book signing that would take place the next day. After he had graduated with a Degree in English and Korean Literature, he had pursued his career as a writer, that had led him to open up a bookstore as well. The response he had gotten was immense although he had been using his pen name,  _JW,_ in his books. From fictional books to motivational ones, Wonwoo had managed to complete many books in his life so far, and he really couldn't have been proud of himself right then. 

His annual book signing was going to take place the next day, where he would officially answer fans and interviewers' questions, and give away signed books personally to his lucky 100 fans. 

_That's right. Seungcheol is right. I'm twenty-six and successful. I have so much going on for me that it's no use looking back at the past._

Wonwoo flashed a bright smile towards Seungcheol as they set up the place together.

 

The next day arrived and Wonwoo found himself smiling confidently towards the crowd of people that had managed to get in. Interviewers from the press and magazines shot questions after questions and he answered them all without his confidence faltering. Furthermore, from questions on his next book to if he was still single, Wonwoo took in each question from his fans and answered them truthfully. Then, it was time for fans to line up and meet him personally.

Wonwoo didn't consider himself as a robot, as he talked to each and every one of his fans and wrote down their names on the book being given out. 

As the next person approached him, however, his smiled dropped. At first glance, he recognised the person standing right in front of him, holding a toddler in their arms. 

"Su...Jeong?" He asked carefully. 

The woman stared at him in shock, as if she didn't know that she'd be meeting Jeon Wonwoo.

"You're  _JW,_ the writer?" She asked back in disbelief. 

Wonwoo nodded slowly. "Yes, and I think it's been established that I'm the person behind that pen name, if the reason why you're so shocked to see me is that you didn't know I've written many books." 

Sujeong shook her head. "I mean, I've read many of your books while I was in Japan but I've never done a research on the author."

"Right, you were in  _Japan."_

"I just returned yesterday," Sujeong clarified. The toddler in her arms stirred in her grip, and she quickly adjusted the little girl as she fell asleep on her shoulder.

Wonwoo eyed the little girl. "She looks like you," he managed to say without choking on his words. It wouldn't take a genius to know who she had the child with. 

Sujeong smiled. "Yes, she does. It's been hard, but she's the source of my strength. Her, and your books as well, actually."

Wonwoo's heart stopped. "What happened to..."

"Mingyu?" She finished his question, then proceeded to look down shamefully. "I wasn't ready to face you like this actually. Would it... Would it be okay if we have a quick chat after your event? I'll be in the cafe across the road."

Wonwoo nodded wordlessly. "What's her name?" He asked, gesturing towards the sleeping girl.

"Suyeon," she replied, smiling again lovingly.

He nodded once more, writing something in his book before passing it to Sujeong. "I'll talk to you later."

"Thank you, Wonwoo," she responded gratefully.

_**May you and your sweet Suyeon go through life with no more hardships.** _

 

Wonwoo stood outside the cafe, watching as Sujeong played with her daughter happily inside. Was he really about to give a chance to the woman who ruined his relationship with the person that had mattered the most to him all those years ago? Granted, he did convince himself just the day before that it was all in the past-- even Sujeong had gotten over it, although she  _wasn't really_ affected by it. However, no matter how he viewed it, Sujeong had been, and would most probably always be that girl who had caused him to be broken at the age of nineteen. 

Mingyu was everything to him at the time. He was his best friend and lover, his anchor when he was stressed and depressed. And that anchor was pulled away forcefully from his life. 

Sighing, he shook his head, already making a decision. It was pointless trying to bring up the past. Although he was curious as to what made Sujeong went through a hard time, he realised that it was her problem now. He had let her and Mingyu out of his life the moment he turned his back on them. The betrayal he had felt had been so strong that it felt as though his whole world came crashing down. It had taken him months and even years to pull himself together, re-build his confidence and emotions. That was what had gotten him to where he was now.

He turned around, ready to leave--

"Wonwoo?"

And then, it felt as though the world, the wall he had built all those years, came crashing down once more.

 


	2. To mend a broken relationship

"Wonwoo?"

His voice was still the same, maybe slightly deeper. Wonwoo wondered if he would still look the same as well, but he refused to look behind just yet. He wasn't ready to face the person once more. 

"It's Wonwoo... Right?"

Wonwoo frowned, finally turning around to face the source of the voice. His breath caught in his throat at seeing _him_ again. He grew taller over the course of years, as Wonwoo noticed that the other was well taller than him by a few inches. His black hair styled neatly on his head, as opposed to his own dyed-brown hair. His eyes were wide as he stared at Wonwoo, who had dropped his frown and opted for a blank expression that he had mastered. 

"Wonwoo," Mingyu repeated, though his voice broke. 

Wonwoo glanced into the cafe through the glass window, seeing Sujeong leaving her seat to walk towards the entrance, most likely realising his presence. He looked back at Mingyu, before turning around again with a heavy heart, willing himself to just walk away. As he took a first step, Mingyu's voice rang through his ears, sounding desperate.

"Don't go yet... Please."

Wonwoo shut his eyes, trying to get himself together. Mingyu left. Mingyu left him without wanting to explain to him anything. Mingyu was the one who had broken his heart into many tiny pieces and stomped on them, leaving him in a broken mess. What right did he have to tell him not to go yet?

He continued taking a few steps before Sujeong stopped him. 

"Suyeon isn't Mingyu's," she declared. 

Wonwoo stopped short, glancing at Sujeong.  _The girl isn't Mingyu's? Does that mean--_

"What do you mean?" He frowned, striding towards her. "You  _cheated_ on him?"

Sujeong took a step back, intimidated. "We aren't together. We've never been."

Wonwoo turned to Mingyu this time, feeling confused and frustrated. He wasn't supposed to care. 

Mingyu took a step towards him carefully. "Were you, uh... Worried for me?" Wonwoo  _wasn't supposed_ to care.

The other laughed humourlessly. "Oh, gosh. I'm going fucking crazy." He ran a hand through his hair, feeling like a mad man. "So what? So what if the both of you have never been together?" He stalked towards Mingyu and poked his finger on his chest. "It doesn't change the fact that  _you_ left.  _You_ lied to me.  _You_ wanted to leave without telling me anything.  _You broke me, Mingyu_." 

Wonwoo watched as Mingyu's expression fell and his eyes welled up with unshed tears. "I know, Wonwoo, and God knows how I felt that day when I had to leave you. I didn't want it, Wonwoo, trust me. The one mistake that I should have never done was not telling you about my parents' arrangement with Sujeong's. I knew it all along yet I hid it from you. I was  _afraid,_ Wonwoo. I didn't know what to do, and telling you didn't seem like an option at the time. I didn't want to worry you, and I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Well, great job, asshole," Wonwoo scoffed. "Yet you tried to leave for Japan without telling me anything."

Mingyu looked away. 

"That was... My fault," Sujeong interrupted. "He was genuinely worried for you and wanted to see you, but I held him back. I went as far as getting his parents to control him. He was told not to show any remorse towards you when you arrived at his house. He really didn't want this, Wonwoo. I sincerely apologise for everything I did that time. When we were in Japan, Mingyu didn't speak to me at all. We didn't speak for months actually. Then I made many mistakes, one of which led to... Suyeon. Mingyu helped me out of pity, and I soon regret everything I'd done when he began telling me stories of the both of you. It was too late though, as we couldn't convince our parents to turn back their decision. Mingyu and I relied on one another. We were friends. Nothing more."

"I didn't think you'd accept me back in your life after you told me that you didn't want to see me again," Mingyu continued. "After we graduated, I was afraid of coming back. I'm a coward, I know. But my emotions had always been a mess when it came to you. When Sujeong insisted in coming back to Korea so that she could meet the author behind her favourite books, I thought of it as an opportunity. I thought that if we do bump into each other, it's probably fate. And then I got a call an hour ago from Sujeong, saying that she bumped into someone I'd want to see."

"That author happened to be Wonwoo, Mingyu," Sujeong spoke.

Mingyu's eyes widened in surprise. "You're a writer?"

Wonwoo shifted in his position, his head swimming with a million thoughts. "Yes, and I owned that bookstore there." He gestured towards it. 

"Wow, Wonwoo..." Mingyu breathed. "You're doing so well... It's really been long, huh?"

Wonwoo nodded slowly. "I picked myself up and focused on my career." He sighed. "I need time to think. I just... I don't think I could ever just forget about this, you know? Like I said, Mingyu, you broke me." A stray tear fell down his cheek, and Wonwoo swiped it away just as fast. "You know where to find me," he mumbled, turning away one last time and walking away. 

As Wonwoo closed the door to his store behind him, he stared at the empty place where remnants of the book signing remained. In a heap of emotions, he kicked his chair, sending it across the room. 

"Fuck you, Mingyu. Fuck you for coming back when I told you not to. Who are you to come back and, what, reconcile with me?" He scoffed. "As if."

He punched the nearest wall repeatedly, trying to numb his frustration through the pain inflicted. Punch, after punch, he conveyed his anger, frustration and confusion until his knuckles bruised and bled. He dropped onto the ground, clutching his chest. 

"Who are you... To come back... Kim Mingyu..." he spoke softly to himself. "Why is my heart like this? Why does it still reach out to him even after all he'd done to me?"

_Because it wasn't entirely his fault, and you know it now._

"I hate myself."

Throughout the years, Wonwoo had built a wall in himself to control his emotions, and to build his own self-confidence. Yet, all that crumbled down the moment Mingyu called his name. He hated how Mingyu affected him that much.

Most of all, he hated the fact that he still loved him after all these years.

Wonwoo had known Mingyu since they were in kindergarten, and they'd been best friends till the day they started dating. All those memories and time spent together couldn't just be forgotten instantly. In comparison to the huge ordeal that had happened, the amount of good memories they both shared most probably outweighed it. This was what frustrated Wonwoo the most. Was he supposed to forgive Mingyu then?

There was a knock on the door right then, and Wonwoo stood up quickly, trying to compose himself. He wiped the stray tears that managed to escape despite him trying to keep them at bay, and hid his injured hand behind him.

Seungcheol's head popped out from the entrance, his eyes scanning the bookstore before landing on Wonwoo. He sighed, taking a step inside.

"I thought you weren't in because of the Closed sign you'd placed," Seungcheol spoke, placing a plastic bag of what seemed like fried chicken, on the table that was previously used for the book signing.

He frowned, realising the chair that was previously there was missing, before he spotted it thrown onto the ground, a few feet away. 

"Were you robbed?"

Wonwoo scoffed, laughing. Trust Seungcheol to cheer him up, albeit unknowingly. He shook his head in response.

"Then why is the chair knocked over like that?" Seungcheol asked again. He narrowed his eyes in Wonwoo's direction. "Why are your eyes red-- Wait, were you crying?"

Sighing, Wonwoo thought that it was no use keeping his situation from his friend. "I was just... Frustrated." He took a seat on the edge of the table.

"Frustrated? Did something happen during your book signing?"

He shook his head. "No, it was... Something else. Remember what we talked about yesterday?"

Seungcheol nodded. "Yeah, about your childhood friend who soon became your first love, and that everything didn't last." It probably then dawned on Seungcheol as his eyes widen in realisation. "Oh... Don't tell me  _that thing_ happened again."

Wonwoo raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You know, that thing when you talk about someone and that someone suddenly appears in your life again," his friend explained. "So... He came back?"

With his shoulders drooping, he nodded. "He came back, with Sujeong... and her daughter." Before Seungcheol could comment on it, he quickly continued. "But it turns out that the girl wasn't Mingyu's. The both of them explained that they were never together even after leaving for Japan."

"And...? That still doesn't change the fact how he left you, though?" 

Wonwoo was glad Seungcheol understood him. He then told him everthing that had transpired just moments before, and what exactly happened on Mingyu's side.

"So..." Seungcheol trailed off thoughtfully. "I'm guessing he wants your forgiveness and also wants  _you_  back?" 

Wonwoo shrugged. "I'm not sure what he wants exactly, actually. He just... Explained everything."

"That just means he does want you back, and is asking for your forgiveness too. He wouldn't have unnecessarily explain to you what happened all those years ago," Seungcheol tried explaining. 

"That's the thing," Wonwoo messed up his hair. "Am I  _supposed_ to forgive like that? Am I supposed to take him back into my life like he didn't leave me broken all those years ago?"

Seungcheol sighed, leaning against the cashier counter. "I'm not in your position to exactly understand what you must be going through, but here's my opinion, alright?" Wonwoo nodded, staring at the ground. "Don't forgive him just yet. Ask him if he'll be back in Korea for good, and if he is, then that's good I guess. Just slowly let him into your life again, and then maybe you'd soon learn to forgive him."

"Let him in again?" Wonwoo parroted. "I mean... How...?" He asked, looking up at Seungcheol and feeling lost.

"You just let him do the talking most of the time. And when you feel like you're more comfortable, then you talk to him more as well. I guess it's a matter of re-adjusting to him as well."

Wonwoo nodded carefully, taking in his friend's words seriously. "Okay... I think. I think I've got it. I know what to do." 

Seungcheol clapped his hands. "That's good then. Now, back to the reason why I dropped by. I bought some fried chicken on the way here to celebrate your book signing. You must be hungry. But first, let's tend to your injured hand, yeah? Don't think I didn't see it."

Wonwoo smiled sheepishly. "Thanks, man."

*

The first time Mingyu visited his store, it was a week after the both had met after a long time. 

The bell rung, indicating that a customer had just entered. 

"Welcome. Good after..." Wonwoo stopped short upon seeing who had just entered. "...noon."

Mingyu offered a small smile, not choosing to approach him first. Instead, he strolled around the shop, stopping once in a while to look at certain books that most likely interested him.

Wonwoo watched him warily as he rang up the books other customers had chosen to buy. He didn't forget to smile and greet them as they leave. Once the customer left, he looked back at Mingyu, only to find the other already staring back. 

The man looked like a deer in headlights as he quickly looked away and hid behind another bookshelf, pretending to flip through books.

That day, Mingyu came and went without saying anything.

 

The next few times Mingyu visited, the same thing happened. He would simply enter, give Wonwoo a smile, and proceeded to flip through books for an hour before leaving. 

Wonwoo didn't know what to feel or what to do. Wasn't the plan supposed to be him letting Mingyu in his life slowly? Mingyu hadn't approached him nor spoken a word to him at least once, and it had been almost three weeks. 

Deciding to just wait, he allowed the other to come and go as he pleased. 

 

During his umpteenth visit, on a Wednesday morning when the store was empty of any customers, Mingyu visited again. This time, he approached Wonwoo.

Dropping a plastic bag on the cashier counter, he hastily took a step back. "I came across this in some shop and thought you'd might like a snack. It's your favourite right? Vegetable crackers."

Wonwoo blinked, nodding slowly. He watched as a smile appeared on Mingyu's face. 

"Great! Then enjoy your snack while I browse through your books again." He turned and walked away.

Wonwoo remained frozen for a minute trying to apprehend what had just happened. He slowly took the plastic bag and opened it, revealing a pack of vegetable crackers. They were still his favourite snack to this day, and in the past, he used to always eat it in Mingyu's house when they watched movies. 

In his peripheral vision, he saw Mingyu remaining still nearby one of the bookshelves, and knew that the other was most probably watching him. Clearing his throat, Wonwoo tore open the packaging and started munching on it. When he glanced up towards Mingyu, a huge smile was plastered across his face.

After Wonwoo had finished his crackers, he started taking advantage of the lack of customers to open his laptop to check his email and maybe brainstorm on his next book. As he was scrolling through the emails he'd received, the sound of something being placed on the counter made him jump slightly. He looked up and was surprised to see that it was Mingyu. 

"Um, I'd like to buy this, actually," Mingyu spoke, gesturing towards the book on the counter. 

Wonwoo nodded rapidly. "Oh, yes, sure." As he scanned the book, he realised that it was one of the fictional books he had written. 

Mingyu thanked him cheerfully as he handed over the money and left the shop, leaving Wonwoo with thoughts of him.

 

The following weekend, the store was packed with customers-- from students to adults. Wonwoo barely survived the day with Seungcheol's help when his friend dropped by. 

"You really should hire someone to work with you," Seungcheol suggested, as they rested in the corner of the bookstore. "You can't manage everything yourself, especially when you're trying to come up with ideas for your next book."

Wonwoo shrugged. "You know how I feel about hiring people to work with me. The last time I hired someone, he turned out to be a super-fan who tried to access my laptop without my permission just so he could get spoilers." He shuddered. "Never again."

"Well, it was your fault as well, just saying. You should've been more careful when you interviewed the applicants." Seungcheol patted him on the shoulder. "I'm suggesting this for your own good. Everyone has their limits. With you managing the store and being a writer, you'd reach your limit really quickly and it'll only leave you distraught."

 

The next day, Wonwoo put up a sign mentioning that he would be hiring a part-timer to help manage the store with him. In less than an hour, he had many phone calls and emails coming in asking about it. 

That very same day, he had interviewed about twenty people, all of which he had kindly rejected. He sure as heck didn't want another episode of someone trying to invade his privacy just for spoilers. By evening, he was almost tempted to take down the sign just so he could stop all the people coming in to do interviews. 

When the door bell rang, he was almost sure that it was another job applicant. However, it turned out to be just Mingyu, who entered with his usual heart-stopping smile. 

"Hi." he greeted, doing a small wave in Wonwoo's direction. Wonwoo smiled back awkwardly.

As usual, he strolled around the bookstore for a while, before actually going up to Wonwoo.

Clearing his throat, he spoke, "I can't help but notice the sign outside...? The one that you're hiring a part-timer." Wonwoo nodded skeptically. "Um, I was wondering if I- uh- could apply for it?"

The both looked at each other for a few seconds, and Mingyu must have seen the uncomfortable look on Wonwoo's face.

"I know that we can't forget about, you know, everything that had happened, but... I actually just moved back to Korea for good, and kind of need a part-time job while I search for a full-time one." He fidgeted with his fingers before continuing, "I also lost contact with my parents. It's been really complicated and hectic when I came home. So I'm on my own and need some money..."

Wonwoo was surprised, to say the least. If Mingyu had a falling out with his parents, a huge argument must've taken place. He knew how much Mingyu adored his parents since he was young, which was why he had been such a happy child. However, he knew that his parents had some issues with understanding current issues like being gay and stuff, which would most probably be why Mingyu had an argument with them.

Before Wonwoo could say anything, Mingyu spoke hastily, "You know what, it's okay I guess. I don't want to make you uncomfortable and all--"

"You can start tomorrow," Wonwoo interrupted, albeit quietly.

"--especially with what... Wait _what_?" Wonwoo raised an eyebrow. "Are you serious? You'll just hire me like that without an interview? I mean, I guess you'd already know a lot of things about me. I won't mind any salary you'd pay me, by the way. I'm just thankful I have a part-time job now!" He spoke excitedly. 

Wonwoo had a feeling that part of the reason why Mingyu would want to work for him was because he just wanted to get him back, but he decided that that ulterior motive was far better than someone who would invade his privacy.

So that was how Mingyu started working with Wonwoo.

 

When Wonwoo arrived to his bookstore the following day, he was surprised to see Mingyu already sitting on the curb in front. Mingyu stood up as soon as he saw the other approaching.

Scratching the back of his head, he greeted. "Hey. I didn't know what time I was supposed to come, so I just came an hour before your opening time... I guess an interview really is necessary, huh?" He laughed sheepishly. 

Wonwoo felt embarrassed himself. He should've been more professional and told him the details. 

"Sorry, about that..." He apologised.

Mingyu's expression dropped slightly for some reason. "You don't have to apologise! I didn't mind waiting..."

Wonwoo offered a small smile, walking up to the door and unlocking it. When the both were settled inside, he decided that it would be best to brief him through his job scope.

"Okay, so all you have to do is just help me manage the store, especially if I'm trying to work on my book. I'm pretty sure you remember how to work the cash register, so we'll skip that." He walked towards the book shelves. "The books here are usually re-stocked every month, and if there is a demand for it, my books are re-printed and stocked once again. So just keep in mind that you would need to check the quantity and if the books received are correct  _and_ in good condition. Is that clear?"

Mingyu nodded, smiling.

"Okay, then if there's no customers or you don't have much to do, you're advised to just check through the bookshelves-- like what you've been doing this whole time-- to see if the books are still in good shape and no one has done any damage to it. To know if the books are second-hand, they're usually not in a plastic packaging. But not all new books are, though. There's a list I have that keeps track of everything here. I'll photocopy it for you so you could check it for me."

Again, Mingyu kept nodding with a huge smile on his face.

"Why do you keep smiling like that?" Wonwoo asked with a raised eyebrow. "Stop smiling, it's annoying," he deadpanned.

_More like, stop smiling becuase it's making my heart do somersaults._

Mingyu dropped the smile, although a hint of it still remained. 

 

Wonwoo had to admit that Mingyu was a really good worker. It had been a few weeks of him working and he had done nothing but help Wonwoo in everything. From making sure the books were in order to making sure that the mischievous students are kept at bay, Mingyu actually worked really hard. 

During lunch breaks when Wonwoo closed the shop for an hour, the both would actually go out to have lunch or order in. It was during those periods of time that they would start small conversations.

"So... You really became a writer, huh?" Mingyu asked one day as the both sat at the corner of the bookstore, a bowl of black bean noodles on their laps.

Wonwoo shrugged. "You know that's been my lifelong dream."

"That's true. Remember when you were in charge of writing an article for the monthly newsletter? Your first article just had to be about our basketball team losing to another school's team. I mean, who would write that?" Mingyu laughed. 

"Ugh, don't remind me," Wonwoo complained, although he was smiling. "The teacher trusted me enough to not read through my article first before publishing it. She have me a second chance in it, though."

"That was good, because after that, your articles were so interesting and well-written that even those who used to just throw out their newsletters actually started reading them."

Snorting, Wonwoo shook his head. "Stop flattering me."

Mingyu tilted his head slightly, staring at the other's face although he was busy slurping his noodles. "It's true though. You were, and still are amazing..."

Wonwoo, sensing Mingyu's gaze on him, looked up and sighed. "Mingyu-"

"It's time that I properly talk about it, huh?" The said man interjected. "Wonwoo, I don't think I've said this properly before, but no words can explain just how sorry I am for what I did all those years ago. I know, nothing can justify my actions, as it would all never have happened if I was trusting and told you everything. From the moment my parents suddenly told me during dinner about their plans for me to go abroad, I should have just told you. I was a coward, and when everything escalated when Sujeong and her parents were in the picture as well, I was at a lost of what to do. Everything happened so quickly the moment you told me you didn't want to see me again. I ignored Sujeong for months and would just focus on school to the point where everything else didn't seem to matter." He took a deep breath and continued, making Wonwoo's heart stop,

"The thing is, Wonwoo... Even when I left, when I was in Japan, and even till now, I've never stopped loving you."

Wonwoo placed his unfinished bowl of noodles on the small coffee table, folding his hands on his lap. He remained silent for a while, making Mingyu extremely nervous, before he stood up and attempted to walk away.

Panicked, Mingyu hastily placed his bowl in the table and chased after him.

"Wonwoo, please, wait-" He grabbed Wonwoo by his upper arm, causing the other to halt abruptly.

"I just...  _I don't know, Mingyu,_ " Wonwoo pleaded. "I don't know if this is right. My mind is telling me that you don't deserved to be forgiven, that it was  _you_ who left. But... But my heart tells me that for all the good times we shared from the moment we met, I can't just forget those memories."

Mingyu's heart broke at knowing how Wonwoo felt. Truly, this man did not deserve him, but he just loved the other too much to let him go.

"Then..." He replied, holding his breath as he spoke, "let's start over. A clean slate. I'm not saying to forget everything that had happened so far, but... Let's create memories once more. Pretend I'm the boy that helped to unstrap your Spiderman shoes in kindergarten." He held up a hand. "Hello, Wonwoo, let's be friends  _again._ "

Wonwoo stared at the hand, contemplating on his next action. Would this be the best option at this point of time? Wonwoo knew the moment Mingyu told him that he never stopped loving, that he didn't want to lose the other again. Perhaps Wonwoo could've also made an effort to stop Mingyu from leaving that day, instead of simply giving in. Now, the both of them were presented a second chance. 

Grabbing Mingyu's hand, Wonwoo smiled. 

"Okay. Let's be friends."

 

This time, their story ended how it should have ended.

 

A story on childhood love, break-ups, and how some relationships aren't just meant to be.

Sujeong and Mingyu were never meant to be, no matter how much his parents forced him to be with her.   

Wonwoo and Mingyu's childhood love story that ended tragically, was rekindled by the work of fate and destiny. 

  
**Extra:**

Wonwoo and Mingyu were sorting the bookshelves together when the door bell rang. 

"Welcome!" Wonwoo greeted, a smile on his face, before he saw who just entered. "Jinyoung? Pledis Highschool, Park Jinyoung?" 

The man's face lit up. "Jeon Wonwoo? Oh man, it's been so long, dude!"

"I'll say!" They shook hands. "How have you been doing? Good?"

Jinyoung nodded. "Definitely. What about you? I've seen that you're extremely successful. You still with Mingyu?"

"I heard my name!" Mingyu's voice called out, before he appeared from the bookshelf he was working on. "Ay, Jinyoung!"

"I guess you both still are, huh?" Jinyoung said cheerfully. "I'm happy for you."

"What about you and Yeonjoo?" Wonwoo asked as he felt Mingyu stand closely beside him. 

Jinyoung laughed slightly. "We ended  _ages_ ago. It just wasn't meant to be. But if you noticed the person who just entered with me..."

Wonwoo smacked his own head. "Ah! I'm sorry to have ignored you. I guess I was too excited to see an old friend." He held out a hand towards the other presence next to Jinyoung. "I'm Wonwoo, this is my  _boyfriend,_ Mingyu. Both of us went to the same highschool as Jinyoung."

"I see," the stranger spoke, glancing at Jinyoung before turning towards the couple with a bright smile. "I'm Mark, Jinyoung's boyfriend, actually."

The other two looked at Jinyoung in surprised, making him chuckle.

"It's a long story. But Mark's from America and is still trying to improve his Korean. So I came here to buy him a book in Korean language," Jinyoung explained,

His smile reminding the two of how love really felt like.

 

_The End... and The Beginning for certain couples ♥_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! So I was trying to go for an open ending kind of story in the beginning (you know, like those angsty oneshot fics and all), and I did do it... for a few minutes before I took down the Completed status and continued the story LMAO. Hope this brought a smile to your faces. :) I just love happy endings. I used the tactic as the first chapter- whereby the first chapter were short flashbacks leading up to their friendship, relationship, and their falling out (moving backwards), this chapter was meant to show how Mingyu slowly made an effort to get back into Wonwoo's life (moving forwards), if you get what I mean.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> P.S. This wasn't proofread. ^^" Also, notice that Markjin I slipped in at the end? Heh heh heh...
> 
> I'm on Twitter @meanie1706 (https://twitter.com/meanie1706) if you want to talk to me or anything, although I'm awkward af.... but I try. But just a note, this isn't really my main account, cuz I don't really want people I know to know I write fics... Lmao.


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